The Journey covers more than seventeen hundred and fifty kilometers of travel and covers your route and expense list for a good 4 nights/ 5 days trip to Dharamshala and Mac Leod Ganj. This fantastic rendezvous with peace and travel covers states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
It dawned on me all of a sudden and of course with the combined dilemma of all business executives that I had not traveled without any reasons and commitments for a long time. It seemed almost impossible to be able to plan a vacation of your own. Try going into Google and typing a harmless line like: ‘Holiday destinations in India’. You my friend, will be in for a surprise!!!
All you get to see is package tours; like the world forgot what is was like to travel by them! I love the tour operators, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes you just have to give people some room. The best part in every travel itinerary is a thought which says:
‘Day at Leisure!!’ This is a simple sentence which means “please do whatever you want to – we have run out of ideas!!!”
My journey began in Udaipur, the cultural capital of Rajasthan also known as the city of lakes. The total distance I had to cover to reach Dharamsala was 1729 km via road, air and then trekking. It just dawned on me that I was still stuck in office till 7 pm in the evening on the day of my departure and I had not really packed. My flight to Delhi was in the early morning from Ahmadabad (this sector is much cheaper comparatively and you might want to book an early morning or midnight flight). I took a taxi from Udaipur and moved quite late at around 12 midnight. The roads are absolutely alive at night and throughout the entire country there are roadside eateries which will dish the most aromatic edibles in a matter of minutes. The taxi cost me about 1800 INR including toll fees and I reached Ahmadabad at 3 am in the morning. The airport was exceptionally quiet apart from a huge group of Patels, evidently sending one of their sons abroad; the whole village had come to see them off!!
Ahmadabad to Delhi Sector is much more frequent and cheaper due to huge volumes of business and merchant travelers. It was not therefore surprising that I got my ticket for around 2500 INR at 7:10 in the morning. Now, the whole idea for me to take the flight was to cut on the travelling time and spend some time in Delhi catching up with some old friends, which is exactly what I did, the minute I landed. My friend was there to pick me up and we zoomed to his place for breakfast and a morning siesta considering I had not slept the whole night!!
I spent a lazy afternoon at one of my favorite hang out spots in Delhi – Café Blues in Connaught Place. This place has so many memories attached that every time I walk in, it feels home. They have an amazing decor and one of the most lavish menu spreads you can find for miles in Delhi. Try the chicken satay, the salads and the yummiest chicken biryani!! This place is ideal for a lazy brunch with some foot tapping retro classics at the background. The uniform is very attractive and you would definitely bump into an old timer who would go gaga about the place.
By the time it was 5:30 in the afternoon, we walked out of Café Blues feeling absolutely stuffed and content. I had to go from Vasant Kunj to ISBT so I decided against all odds and took a cab to ISBT by 6 pm.
ISBT in Delhi is a world in itself. If you wish to witness chaos and unity in diversity, I bet this would be the starting point. I mean there are buses from every conceivable city to this place. I was informed that my Bus was at 8 pm and the terminal was 27. Considering the huge back pack I was carrying I felt the need to move towards the terminal right away and unload. HRTC runs very comfortable buses from ISBT to Manali, Dharamshala, Shimla etc. The ticket cost me 840 INR and very soon I was seated in a comfortable luxury Air conditioned Volvo. You can never miss the buses, they are green……I mean absolutely green!!
I cannot describe the feeling I first had when I woke up in the morning. The bus was climbing its way up in the hills and it was drizzling. The temperature was around 14 degrees Celsius and I took out my jacket as the air was chilly. I reached ISBT Dharamshala at 7 am in the morning. The first glimpse of the clouded hills beyond and the colorful Tibetan flags set the mood for a vacation well chosen. We were four of us and we quickly hired a taxi to take us to Mac Leod Ganj. The trip is a short 9 kms away from Dharamshala and we met an amazing taxi guy who made the 9 kms an absolute delight. His name was Prem and perhaps the best guide as well I have met in a long time.
He dropped us off at the main Mac Leod Ganj square from where we set out on hotel hunting. July is off season as it’s rainy and you can get wonderful rooms for less than half the rate. My brother – in – law and my sister have perhaps entered the Guinness book of world records for maximum travel in the last one year. After they got married, they have undertaken 24 trips all across the country and south east Asia in the last one year. I got a very good deal from my brother-in-law’s agent who booked me into this hotel known as Him Queen. We got a suite room for 1500 INR complete with an attached balcony and bath tub!!!
The room was beautiful and the view breathe taking as we slowly settled into after a hot shower and some pancakes and eggs. I decided against sleeping and we set off towards the main square with some sturdy shoes on.
I had heard a lot about Mc llo which is right in the main market square so we decided to crash in for lunch. The place is really well done and is absolutely lively even in the afternoon. Just as we entered the first heavy showers hit McLeod Ganj. Fried momos, steamed momos, Tibetan noodles and some amazing pizzas….yes that is exactly what we gorged on! Ratings: SUPERB. The price is just about right (although) towards the higher side and from the restaurant you get the full view of the main market square and the hills beyond. They have a lovely collection of beverages and it is quite surprising to find almost all Sula varieties in this part of town. A typical meal for two with two beverages included will cost you around 600 – 800 INR.
Next on our agenda was skirting the nearby environs and following up on the next 4 days on what to do. I picked up a guide on Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj for 60 INR and got busy studying the whole place. It’s not very far, the main places of attraction and if you can plan well, you will be able to cover all these places in 1-2 days. The trekking trips to Dhauladhar, Truind and such places will be more intense and you can plan at least 5 – 7 days for these treks. There are numerous adventure agencies and they can do a fine job for you, be advised, pack light and pack right!! It’s very important and I realized it a bit too late during our trek to Bhagsunag Waterfalls and beyond.
The beauty of this place is definitely its people. Everyone is so helpful and courteous; it seems amazing that they have suffered so much in the past. We were idling in the streets and the bazaars selling Tibetan goods, clothes, artifacts well all so cheerful because these are good people by heart. I found a hair dresser and got in for a hair cut and a lovely head massage. I have to admit, this guy was good!! All my strain and sore muscles at the back was absolutely gone!! He runs a small little place known as Abdesh Hair Dressers and it is on the old temple road.
That evening we spent doing what we do best, watching movies!! It was after a long time that we were all relaxed and caught up with two new movies which had just been released and the whole world was going gaga about.
Next morning after a late breakfast, I called up Prem….our taxiwalla and he said he would take us around Dharamshala and the immediate vicinity. I had looked up the map and wanted to visit, Naddi village, Dal Lake and the Dalai Lama’s exiled government complex. He agreed and said he would meet us at the hotel in an hour’s time. If you plan to visit this place make sure you take up accommodation near market places, this is a small sleepy town and if you take up hotels in the far reaches, make sure you arrange for your own transport.
As we got out of the hotel it was pouring cats and dogs and for the first time after many years I had seen hail. Stones were lashing at us in all shapes and sizes; I have to tell you that this had turned the whole scenic view into grandeur. After a brief half an hour wait in the hotel lobby we set out in Prem’s taxi.
First we reached the Mcleod Ganj Main square and went down on the Dharamshala Road. There is a very old Nowrojee Store, which you cannot miss, take the road which goes adjacent to it if you have to go to Dharamshala. The Revered St. John’s Church was first on our itinerary and it is hardly 1 km from Mcleodganj. This place is on the way to Dharamshala and is one of the oldest churches in North India. The Church is famous for its glass paintings as well as a small cremation ground, which dates back to 1850.
Just a quick walk from the Church will lead you to the war cemetery. Now, this place is really something which will give you Goosebumps. This place has cemeteries that date back to the 1800s!! It’s spread over a huge expanse of green winding its way up and down on the hills and you can just sit back and gaze…wonder what life would have been at that very spot a hundred and fifty years back!
I can just about hear the sound of horses’ hooves in the distant dark. It’s raining heavily and the hills are roaring with winds tearing you apart. The sound of boots marching up the hill as more than a hundred men in uniform, dressed in the Queen’s red army, march their way. This caravan is followed by a man in black dressed heavily in an accentuated collar coat and rain boots. He holds a small baby in his hands and walks up to the cemetery. This is Major John Wilkes, The Officer Commanding of the Gorkha Rifles posted at Simla, His two month old baby has just died in his arms because of pneumonia. FLASHBACK TO 2009.
I RISE AND OFFER A PRAYER in my mind, yet it all seems like yesterday. This is reality and it has just stuck me that we still have to reach the earth to reach for the heavens above…dust to dust.
We then drove straight to The Dal Lake in upper Mcleodganj, towards Naddi. This place offers a magnificent view of the imposing Dhauladhar mountain range. The fog had still not cleared so we decided to stick around this place for some time in the hope of being able to see the lofty peaks. Tibet lies beyond these mountains and one has to undertake an arduous ordeal to reach the land of the first sun. As I lit up my cigarette and looked beyond a sudden gush of adrenaline forced me to undertake the journey….see what lies in the land ahead. Luckily by then the fog had cleared and the view was clearer……..it was the most picturesque site I had seen in a long time. The snow capped peaks and the mountains are a site for sore eyes.
The entire Dhauladhar range can be viewed from here at a distance and the calm of this place is absolutely fantastic. If you look up the map of Macleodganj, this area is to the absolutely north west on top and true to its beckoning this had me mesmerized.
Next on our agenda was the visit to His Holiness The Dalai Lama’s Monastery and Tibetan Government in Exile Offices, Dharamshala. The winding roads down led us to Dharamshala and soon we were approaching the complex. Far away in the distance was a distinct banner with the National Flag of Tibet……it said: TIBET..ONE NATION..ONE PEOPLE…FREE TIBET!!
The call was heart touching and it had a deep sense of pain. The main temple complex is distinct from the residence of His Holiness. The Tibet Museum, the Tibetan Dialectic Institute and the main temple beyond is magnificent. When the Chinese had invaded Tibet they destroyed a majority of the 6000 odd monasteries and destroyed their entire heritage and age old traditions. Whatever remained was stored and is still preserved in this temple complex.
The Museum is a stark reminder of the pain and the struggle that their people have gone through. Every picture and every exhibit speaks a thousand words behind those mesmerizing eyes. I collected loads of Literature on Tibet and their current international perspectives, which I’m still trying to read and understand what we can do to help.
It dawned on me all of a sudden and of course with the combined dilemma of all business executives that I had not traveled without any reasons and commitments for a long time. It seemed almost impossible to be able to plan a vacation of your own. Try going into Google and typing a harmless line like: ‘Holiday destinations in India’. You my friend, will be in for a surprise!!!
All you get to see is package tours; like the world forgot what is was like to travel by them! I love the tour operators, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes you just have to give people some room. The best part in every travel itinerary is a thought which says:
‘Day at Leisure!!’ This is a simple sentence which means “please do whatever you want to – we have run out of ideas!!!”
My journey began in Udaipur, the cultural capital of Rajasthan also known as the city of lakes. The total distance I had to cover to reach Dharamsala was 1729 km via road, air and then trekking. It just dawned on me that I was still stuck in office till 7 pm in the evening on the day of my departure and I had not really packed. My flight to Delhi was in the early morning from Ahmadabad (this sector is much cheaper comparatively and you might want to book an early morning or midnight flight). I took a taxi from Udaipur and moved quite late at around 12 midnight. The roads are absolutely alive at night and throughout the entire country there are roadside eateries which will dish the most aromatic edibles in a matter of minutes. The taxi cost me about 1800 INR including toll fees and I reached Ahmadabad at 3 am in the morning. The airport was exceptionally quiet apart from a huge group of Patels, evidently sending one of their sons abroad; the whole village had come to see them off!!
Ahmadabad to Delhi Sector is much more frequent and cheaper due to huge volumes of business and merchant travelers. It was not therefore surprising that I got my ticket for around 2500 INR at 7:10 in the morning. Now, the whole idea for me to take the flight was to cut on the travelling time and spend some time in Delhi catching up with some old friends, which is exactly what I did, the minute I landed. My friend was there to pick me up and we zoomed to his place for breakfast and a morning siesta considering I had not slept the whole night!!
I spent a lazy afternoon at one of my favorite hang out spots in Delhi – Café Blues in Connaught Place. This place has so many memories attached that every time I walk in, it feels home. They have an amazing decor and one of the most lavish menu spreads you can find for miles in Delhi. Try the chicken satay, the salads and the yummiest chicken biryani!! This place is ideal for a lazy brunch with some foot tapping retro classics at the background. The uniform is very attractive and you would definitely bump into an old timer who would go gaga about the place.
By the time it was 5:30 in the afternoon, we walked out of Café Blues feeling absolutely stuffed and content. I had to go from Vasant Kunj to ISBT so I decided against all odds and took a cab to ISBT by 6 pm.
ISBT in Delhi is a world in itself. If you wish to witness chaos and unity in diversity, I bet this would be the starting point. I mean there are buses from every conceivable city to this place. I was informed that my Bus was at 8 pm and the terminal was 27. Considering the huge back pack I was carrying I felt the need to move towards the terminal right away and unload. HRTC runs very comfortable buses from ISBT to Manali, Dharamshala, Shimla etc. The ticket cost me 840 INR and very soon I was seated in a comfortable luxury Air conditioned Volvo. You can never miss the buses, they are green……I mean absolutely green!!
I cannot describe the feeling I first had when I woke up in the morning. The bus was climbing its way up in the hills and it was drizzling. The temperature was around 14 degrees Celsius and I took out my jacket as the air was chilly. I reached ISBT Dharamshala at 7 am in the morning. The first glimpse of the clouded hills beyond and the colorful Tibetan flags set the mood for a vacation well chosen. We were four of us and we quickly hired a taxi to take us to Mac Leod Ganj. The trip is a short 9 kms away from Dharamshala and we met an amazing taxi guy who made the 9 kms an absolute delight. His name was Prem and perhaps the best guide as well I have met in a long time.
He dropped us off at the main Mac Leod Ganj square from where we set out on hotel hunting. July is off season as it’s rainy and you can get wonderful rooms for less than half the rate. My brother – in – law and my sister have perhaps entered the Guinness book of world records for maximum travel in the last one year. After they got married, they have undertaken 24 trips all across the country and south east Asia in the last one year. I got a very good deal from my brother-in-law’s agent who booked me into this hotel known as Him Queen. We got a suite room for 1500 INR complete with an attached balcony and bath tub!!!
The room was beautiful and the view breathe taking as we slowly settled into after a hot shower and some pancakes and eggs. I decided against sleeping and we set off towards the main square with some sturdy shoes on.
I had heard a lot about Mc llo which is right in the main market square so we decided to crash in for lunch. The place is really well done and is absolutely lively even in the afternoon. Just as we entered the first heavy showers hit McLeod Ganj. Fried momos, steamed momos, Tibetan noodles and some amazing pizzas….yes that is exactly what we gorged on! Ratings: SUPERB. The price is just about right (although) towards the higher side and from the restaurant you get the full view of the main market square and the hills beyond. They have a lovely collection of beverages and it is quite surprising to find almost all Sula varieties in this part of town. A typical meal for two with two beverages included will cost you around 600 – 800 INR.
Next on our agenda was skirting the nearby environs and following up on the next 4 days on what to do. I picked up a guide on Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj for 60 INR and got busy studying the whole place. It’s not very far, the main places of attraction and if you can plan well, you will be able to cover all these places in 1-2 days. The trekking trips to Dhauladhar, Truind and such places will be more intense and you can plan at least 5 – 7 days for these treks. There are numerous adventure agencies and they can do a fine job for you, be advised, pack light and pack right!! It’s very important and I realized it a bit too late during our trek to Bhagsunag Waterfalls and beyond.
The beauty of this place is definitely its people. Everyone is so helpful and courteous; it seems amazing that they have suffered so much in the past. We were idling in the streets and the bazaars selling Tibetan goods, clothes, artifacts well all so cheerful because these are good people by heart. I found a hair dresser and got in for a hair cut and a lovely head massage. I have to admit, this guy was good!! All my strain and sore muscles at the back was absolutely gone!! He runs a small little place known as Abdesh Hair Dressers and it is on the old temple road.
That evening we spent doing what we do best, watching movies!! It was after a long time that we were all relaxed and caught up with two new movies which had just been released and the whole world was going gaga about.
Next morning after a late breakfast, I called up Prem….our taxiwalla and he said he would take us around Dharamshala and the immediate vicinity. I had looked up the map and wanted to visit, Naddi village, Dal Lake and the Dalai Lama’s exiled government complex. He agreed and said he would meet us at the hotel in an hour’s time. If you plan to visit this place make sure you take up accommodation near market places, this is a small sleepy town and if you take up hotels in the far reaches, make sure you arrange for your own transport.
As we got out of the hotel it was pouring cats and dogs and for the first time after many years I had seen hail. Stones were lashing at us in all shapes and sizes; I have to tell you that this had turned the whole scenic view into grandeur. After a brief half an hour wait in the hotel lobby we set out in Prem’s taxi.
First we reached the Mcleod Ganj Main square and went down on the Dharamshala Road. There is a very old Nowrojee Store, which you cannot miss, take the road which goes adjacent to it if you have to go to Dharamshala. The Revered St. John’s Church was first on our itinerary and it is hardly 1 km from Mcleodganj. This place is on the way to Dharamshala and is one of the oldest churches in North India. The Church is famous for its glass paintings as well as a small cremation ground, which dates back to 1850.
Just a quick walk from the Church will lead you to the war cemetery. Now, this place is really something which will give you Goosebumps. This place has cemeteries that date back to the 1800s!! It’s spread over a huge expanse of green winding its way up and down on the hills and you can just sit back and gaze…wonder what life would have been at that very spot a hundred and fifty years back!
I can just about hear the sound of horses’ hooves in the distant dark. It’s raining heavily and the hills are roaring with winds tearing you apart. The sound of boots marching up the hill as more than a hundred men in uniform, dressed in the Queen’s red army, march their way. This caravan is followed by a man in black dressed heavily in an accentuated collar coat and rain boots. He holds a small baby in his hands and walks up to the cemetery. This is Major John Wilkes, The Officer Commanding of the Gorkha Rifles posted at Simla, His two month old baby has just died in his arms because of pneumonia. FLASHBACK TO 2009.
I RISE AND OFFER A PRAYER in my mind, yet it all seems like yesterday. This is reality and it has just stuck me that we still have to reach the earth to reach for the heavens above…dust to dust.
We then drove straight to The Dal Lake in upper Mcleodganj, towards Naddi. This place offers a magnificent view of the imposing Dhauladhar mountain range. The fog had still not cleared so we decided to stick around this place for some time in the hope of being able to see the lofty peaks. Tibet lies beyond these mountains and one has to undertake an arduous ordeal to reach the land of the first sun. As I lit up my cigarette and looked beyond a sudden gush of adrenaline forced me to undertake the journey….see what lies in the land ahead. Luckily by then the fog had cleared and the view was clearer……..it was the most picturesque site I had seen in a long time. The snow capped peaks and the mountains are a site for sore eyes.
The entire Dhauladhar range can be viewed from here at a distance and the calm of this place is absolutely fantastic. If you look up the map of Macleodganj, this area is to the absolutely north west on top and true to its beckoning this had me mesmerized.
Next on our agenda was the visit to His Holiness The Dalai Lama’s Monastery and Tibetan Government in Exile Offices, Dharamshala. The winding roads down led us to Dharamshala and soon we were approaching the complex. Far away in the distance was a distinct banner with the National Flag of Tibet……it said: TIBET..ONE NATION..ONE PEOPLE…FREE TIBET!!
The call was heart touching and it had a deep sense of pain. The main temple complex is distinct from the residence of His Holiness. The Tibet Museum, the Tibetan Dialectic Institute and the main temple beyond is magnificent. When the Chinese had invaded Tibet they destroyed a majority of the 6000 odd monasteries and destroyed their entire heritage and age old traditions. Whatever remained was stored and is still preserved in this temple complex.
The Museum is a stark reminder of the pain and the struggle that their people have gone through. Every picture and every exhibit speaks a thousand words behind those mesmerizing eyes. I collected loads of Literature on Tibet and their current international perspectives, which I’m still trying to read and understand what we can do to help.
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